Apparatus employed in canning operations.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

M. J. HAWKINS.

APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN OANNING OPERATIONS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 25, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: INVE 0/? 2,200 7 4? I I y I PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

M. J. HAWKINS. APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN OANNING OPERATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES;

I VENTOR A URN/5Y5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CANNlNGOPERATlONSr Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed May 25,1905. Serial No. 262,204.

To (Ml whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLARD J. HAWKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoopeston, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus Employed in Canning Operations, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the general art of canning-machinery, and pertains more espe- I In such an apparatus it is desirable to be\ able to combine a maximum extent of travel of the cans in the chamber with minimum dimensions of the chamber itself, it being practically essential to keep the cans continuously on the move while subjected to the influence of the chamber to avoid delays in the entire canning process and allow the apparatus cooperatin therewith to be kept continuously at wor The leading" object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a mechanism for treating cans to an application of heat wherein the cans shall have a maximum extent of travel in and through a chamber inorder that they may be subjected to the heat thereof for a sufiilcient period of time to effect the desired resu t.

Another object of the invention is'to pro vide a distribution of steam in the chamber of maximum effectiveness in heating th cans. I

To these ends my invention consists in a novel and improved apparatus for the purpose specified, having the peculiarities of construction, relative arrangement ofparts, and mode of operation substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

An improved mechanical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view in horizontal section through the steam box or casing of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, on the line as as of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, of the steamdistributing apparatus and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, broken away and in section at one end, of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a box or casing (herein shown as of rectangular form) resting upon suitable end frames or supports, each comprising a horizontal transversely-extending angle-bar 6 and integral supportingdegs 7. In and integral with each of the end frame-bars is formed a pair of depending sleeves 8, constituting bearings for a pair of longitudinal]y-extending bars 9, from which sleeves rise bosses 10, vertically socketed to constitute bearings for short veri tical spindles 11, projecting through openings in the bottom of the casing 5. The bars 9 serve as supports for a series of split sleeves 8, securely clamped thereon by means of threaded bolts 12, said sleeves also having integral upstanding bosses 10, recessed or socketed to also receive intermediate vertical spindles 11.-

' It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 8 5 that the spindles 11, mounted on one of the bars 9, are disposed in centrally oilset relation to the spindles 11, supported by the other bar 9, so that the spindles of each row are transversely opposite the central points 0 between adjacent spindles of the other row. On one row of spindles are rotatably mounted in-a common horizontal plane a series of toothed disks 13, 13, 13 and 13, disposed in the order named between the receiving and 5 discharging ends of the apparatus, and on r the other row of spindles is mounted a similar longitudinal series of toothed disks occupying the same horizontal plane and desigorder.

It will be observed that the disks 13 and 14 extend peripherally through openings 5 and 5, respectively, in the end walls of the casing. The disks 14, 13", 14 13 14 13, 14, and 13 mesh with and drive each other in the order named, the disk 14 having on its under side a bevel-gear 15, engaged by a nated by 14, 14 14 and 14 in the same bevel-pinion 16, fast on the inner end of the driving-shaft 17, mounted in'a horizontal bearing-sleeve 18, suitably supported on the bracket 19, said shaft carrying rast and loose pulleys and 2]., respectively, whereby power is imparted to the train of toothed disks.

Steam for heating purposes is introduced to the interior of the casing through pipes 22 and 23, entering the opposite sides of the casing, respectively, the pipe 22 having a series of branches 2-2, that extend between adjacent disks on that side of the casing through which the steam-pipe enters and terminating "at their end portions in loops 22 that overlie substantially centrally the disks of the other row. Similarly the steam pipe 23 has a series of branches 23 lying. between adjacent gears on the same side or thecasing and terminating in loops 23*, over iying the toothed disks on the opposite side. Each of the branch pipes has a row of perforations formed on its outer side, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, wherein the perforations are indicated by 24. Rigidly supported upon a vertical rod or post 25, mounted in the floor of the casing at the receiving end, is ahorizontal guide 26, which extends from a point opposite the periphery oi disk 14, at whichthe cans are received on said disk over the companion disk 13, driven thereby opposite the point at which the cans are delivered or. discharged from said last-named disk, said guide terminating in a round or convexed end 26 and constituting a deflector to direct the travel of the cans from disk 13 to disk 14. For the purpose of guiding the cans onto the remaining disks of the series the ends of the loops of the steam-pipes may be suitably bent or disposed to act as deflectors, as shown.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction and mechanism, but..may be briefly described as follows: The iii ed cans are delivered in close succession onto the peripheral portion of the receivingdisk 13, by which they are carried into the casing and around to a point at which they engage the guide 26, by which they are deflected onto and picked up by the disk 14, being carried around by the latter at a point at which they are deflected by the loop of the steam-pipe and carried-onto and picked up by the disk 13. Inthe same Way the cans in'a continuous row are-passed on from disk 13 to disk 14*, from the latter to disk 13 fromthe latter to disk 14 ,from the latter to disk 13, and from. the latter to disk 14, by which they are carried out of thecasing. During the travel of the cans ina continuous chain or row, as last described, through the casing they are subjected to the heating effect ofstearn injected directly thereagainst through the branch pipes 22 and 23 and through-loops 22 and 23*, said pipes and their looped ends bein so apertured, as described, as to direct the steam in fine jets most advantageously and effectively upon and against the sides of the cans during their serpentine travel through the chamber. It will be observed that the cans as they travel around the first steam-pipe and loop receive the direct. action .of the steam-jets on one side, while as soon as they enter the sphere of influence ofv the next steam-pipe from the opposite sideoi' the casing they are subjected on their opposite sides to the influence of thelatter, and so on to the discharge end of the chamber. in this way the heat of the steam is applied most effectively and ellicientlyto the cans and is uniformly distributed on all, sides oi, the latter. It will be observed that the conveyer mechanism shown and de scribed imparts to the continuous row of cans a serpentine travel through the casing of the machine, which ailords for a given rate oi continuous travel a maximum period of exposure to the heating efl'ect of the apparatus.

It will of course be understood that the dimensions of the apparatus and the number of cooperating conveyer-disks and steam pipes may be varied as desired, acccrding to the needs or exigencies of each situation in which the apparatus is used Within the spirit and purview of the invention. It will also be evident that any other and mechanically equivalent means of imparting rotation to the. disks in such a manner as to secure the ser pentine travel of the cans thereover may be employed without afl'eeting the substance ofthe invention.

In other respects, also, the invention is notto be understood as limited to the particular construction of the apparatus or the particular relative disposition of its several operating parts as herein disclosed, but may be modified and varied by those skilled in the art in respect to details-Without departing from the spirit and intended effect [of the in vention as defined in the following claims.

I claim 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a heating-- chamber, of a conveyer therein comprising, a plurality of rows of revoluble carrier-disks,- the disks of one row .being geared with the disks of an adjacent row, and guides for deflecting the cans back and forth between the disks of adjacent rows, substantially as de-- scribed.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing constituting a heating-chamber, of a conveyer. therein comprising a pair of rows of peripherally-toothed carrier-disks disposed longitue dinally of said casing, the disks ofeach row: being geared with the disks of the other row, guides for deflecting the cans back and forth between the disks of thetwo rows, and driving means applied to one of said disks, substantially as described.

3: In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a casing con-v stituting a heating-chamber, of a conveyer therein comprising a pair of rows of revoluble carrier-disks disposed longitudinally of said casing, the disks of each row being geared with the disks of the other row, guides for deflecting the cans back and forth between the disks of the two rows, and a driving-shaft suitably geared to an end disk of one of said rows, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing constituting a heating-chamber, of a conveyer therein comprising a pair of rows of revoluble carrier-disks disposed longitudinally of said casing, the disks of each row being geared with the disks of the other row, the end disk of one of said rows projecting through one end wall of the casing and constituting the receiving end of the conveyer, and the opposite end disk of the other row projecting through the opposite end wall of the casing and constituting the discharging end of the conveyer, guides for deflecting the cans back and forth between the disks of the two rows, and a driving-shaft suitably geared to one of said end fisks, substantially as described.

5. In an-apparatus of the character described, the combination with a heatingchamber, of a conveyer therein comprising a I plurality of rows of revoluble carrier-disks so arranged that adjacent cooperating disks rotate in opposite directions, guides for deflecting'the cans back and forth between the disks of adjacent rows, and means for inj ecting a heating agent into said chamber, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a heatingchamber, of a conveyer therein comprising a pair of rows of reyoluble carrier-disks, the disks of each row being geared with the disks 'of-the other row, guides for deflecting the I cans back and forth between thedisks of the two rows, and a steam-inlet pipe tapping said chamber, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing constituting a heating-chamber, of a conveyer therein comprising-a pair of rows of revolublyconnected carrier-disks, andiva steam-inlet pipe tapping said casing and provided with a plurality of perforated branches so formed against the cans during their travel through said casing and deflect said cans from disk to disk, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing constituting a heating-chamber, of a conveyer therein comprising a pair of rows of revoluble carrierdisks disposed longitudinally of said casing, the disks of each row being geared with the disks of the other row, and a pair of steam-inlet pipes tapping the sides of the casing, respectively, each pipe having a plurality of perforated branchesextending between adjacent disks of one row and overlying the disks of the other row, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing constituting aheating-charnber, of a conveyer therein comprising a pair of rows of revoluble carrier-disks disposed longitudinally of said casing, the disks of each row being geared with the disks of the other row, and a pair of steam-inlet pipes tapping the sides of the casing, respectively, each pipe having a plurality of perforated branches extending between adjacent disks of one row and terminating in looped ends overlying the disks of the other row, and serving to guide the cans from one disk onto the next, substantially as described.

MILLARD J. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. WALLBRIDGE, W. A. FLINT.

and disposed as to direct jets of steam 

